Mexican Journalists Honor Slain Colleagues on Day of the Dead

Honoring Fallen Journalists on Day of the Dead

• 💀 The Day of the Dead holiday in Mexico was used this year to remember journalists killed while reporting.
• 🕯️ An ofrenda, or altar, was built by journalists in Tijuana to honor their fallen colleagues, symbolizing that their efforts are respected and that journalism remains alive.

Dangers of Journalism in Mexico

• 🎙️ Vicente Calderon, an editor in Tijuana, has witnessed dozens of Mexican reporters killed during his career, highlighting the dangerous nature of the profession.
• 💔 The altar specifically remembered journalists like Margarita and Lourdes Maldonado, who were gunned down near their homes, and Miguel Angel Bertrand, found dead with a note implying he spread lies.

The Fight Against Impunity

• ⚖️ A U.N. campaign to end impunity for crimes against journalists inspired the creation of the altar.
• 🚫 The altar featured symbols like "no impunidad" (no impunity) to protest the lack of punishment for those who commit crimes against reporters.
• 📈 Calderon noted a concerning average of one reporter killed per month in Mexico.

Broader Scope and Call for Protection

• 🌍 The ofrenda also included a section honoring both Palestinian and Israeli journalists killed while reporting on the war in Gaza.
• 🛡️ Calderon emphasized the need to protect journalists and discuss their safety, even amidst dark times, to prevent cases from being forgotten.